Very absent joint freeholder problem

jeaster1

Hi,

My wife and I are joint freeholders with owner of flat upstairs (two in building) and selling our flat but just learnt joint freeholder is in prison in an African country but do not know exactly where. He's supposed to sign the TR1 form for us to transfer title to our buyer!
He has a wife who is also out of the country and been very flaky on communicating with us. She said she 'might' be back end of April. I have asked by email if she has power of attorney to sign but she has stopped replying - and not replied to several follow up emails -  so I'm assuming she doesn't.
We feel completely stuck and haven't been able to find a solicitor able to offer us good advice - our conveyancer is not offering to help and told us to find different advice.
Does anyone know how we can proceed?

Thanks

greatcrested

Could your conveyancer explain to buyer's solicitor and suggest the lease is transferred now, with the freehold TR1 being signed when the joint freeholder returns....?

Not sure if this is possible, or would be acceptable, but if so at leas the flat could be sold which I imagine is the main thing???

princeofpounds

If you want this properly solved, you would need to look into a vesting order from county court perhaps.
But I bet you if a thousand quid was offered, communication would probably happen a lot more easily...

jeaster1

princeofpounds said:

If you want this properly solved, you would need to look into a vesting order from county court perhaps.
But I bet you if a thousand quid was offered, communication would probably happen a lot more easily...

Funnily enough, I have offered this but no reply...

[Deleted User]

Have you thought about going to Africa, committing an imprisonable offence, and looking for your man once you're on the inside?

If nothing else, it would be a great movie!

Bossypants

Poster_586329 said:

Have you thought about going to Africa, committing an imprisonable offence, and looking for your man once you're on the inside?

If nothing else, it would be a great movie!

Couldn't OP just go to Africa and get a permit to visit the prisoner? Assuming he's locked up for something standard it shouldn't be impossible. Could combine it with a nice safari or something while there!

Admittedly my plan is not as good a movie.

jeaster1

Unfortunately no chance to create a movie now as buyer pulled out this morning because of ‘current financial climate’. Will put place back on as leasehold and hope documents don’t need to be signed by missing freeholder. And that we won’t (we will) lose the place we want